10 Most Conservative Colleges in the U.S. (2024)

If you're a conservative student looking for an American school that supports your principles, check out this list of 2024's most conservative U.S. colleges. These schools have established reputations for upholding conservatism and offer college campuses that reflect those values.

Just remember that no college is a monolith. Even at the most conservative schools, you'll likely encounter a range of worldviews. But if you're looking for a student body where you can feel at home as a conservative student, you can start here. 

Check out our short list of the top conservative colleges in the U.S. (in no particular order). These schools are known for their commitment to conservative values and provide a campus community that reflects those beliefs.

1. Brigham Young University - Provo Campus

Enrollment: 31,642 undergraduate students

Acceptance rate: 59%

Average tuition: $6,120

Religious affiliation: Latter-Day Saints

Brigham Young University (BYU) is a private university owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in Provo, Utah. BYU Provo is one of the country's largest religious conservative Christian colleges, with additional campuses in Hawaii and Idaho.

BYU has a strict honor code that requires its students to follow conservative values. These include rules prohibiting profanity and the use of tobacco, caffeine, drugs, or alcohol on campus. Students must also take Bible study courses and learn Mormon scripture and church history as part of the curriculum.

Academically, BYU is known for its strong accounting, entrepreneurship, and MBA programs.

2. Cedarville University

Enrollment: 4,191 undergraduate students

Acceptance rate: 62%

Average tuition: $33,374

Religious affiliation: Baptist

Cedarville University is a small private Baptist school in Cedarville, Ohio. Cedarville requires all students to minor in Bible studies and attend weekly church services. 

Faculty members must also sign a Doctrinal Statement stating their religious beliefs align with the school's core values. The school also funds student-run Discipleship Ministry projects, with various outreach programs for students and the community, and supports global mission trips for college students.

Cedarville University offers several theological study options and majors in arts and sciences.

3. Liberty University

Enrollment: 47,696 undergraduate students

Acceptance rate: 99%

Average tuition: $22,713

Religious affiliation: Evangelical Christian

Located in Lynchburg, Virginia, Liberty University is an evangelical Christian university founded by Jerry Falwell in 1971. Liberty is the largest private nonprofit university in the country. 

When including online scholars, the student population is nearly 100,000! First-year students at Liberty must follow the university's student honor code (The Liberty Way), which prohibits certain behaviors.

Academically, scholars can choose from arts, sciences, and Christian-centric curriculums. Liberty also requires all first-year students to take three Bible study courses. In addition, Republican former President Donald Trump delivered the commencement address for the 2017 class.

The school remains a safe space for conservative political ideology and activism.

4. Bob Jones University

Enrollment: 2,705 undergraduate students

Acceptance rate: N/A

Average tuition: $20,950

Religious affiliation: Evangelical Christian

Bob Jones University (BJU) opened in 1927 in Greenville, South Carolina. Evangelist Bob Jones founded it, and this Christian school still keeps its Christian values at its center. 

Like other Christian universities, BJU's code of conduct, or position statements, requires individuals to abstain from alcohol and drugs. It also expects BJU students and employees to abide by their stated positions on traditional marriage, human sexuality, and gender identity.

BJU focuses on Bible study degrees and liberal arts college programs. It also requires students to complete Bible study courses. BJU supports student-led mission groups and other Christian student clubs to provide a richer campus life experience.

5. Colorado Christian University

Enrollment: 7,188 undergraduate students

Acceptance rate: N/A

Average tuition: $35,436

Religious affiliation: Nondenominational

Located in Lakewood, Colorado Christian University (CCU) is a nondenominational school with conservative values. Undergraduate students at CCU sign a Lifestyle Covenant, which requires they attend regular church services, be active in church ministry, and exemplify other Christian values.

CCU offers many undergraduate and graduate programs, including business, education, theology, and psychology. Its core curriculum includes Bible courses.  

6. Franciscan University of Steubenville

Enrollment: 2,610 undergraduate students

Acceptance rate: 68%

Average tuition: $30,180

Religious affiliation: Roman Catholic

Franciscan University of Steubenville - a private Catholic university located in Steubenville, Ohio - was founded by Franciscan Friars in 1946. Over 90% of students and faculty are Catholic, but it's not a requirement for potential students. 

The school requires all students to complete their core curriculum, which focuses on foundational knowledge in the core disciplines. The school also holds daily mass for students and faculty.

Franciscan University offers degree programs in arts and sciences, including theology and catechetics. The school also supports mission trips for students, student organizations, and faith-forward extracurricular options.

7. North Greenville University

Enrollment: 1,982 undergraduate students

Acceptance rate: 70%

Average tuition: $22,470

Religious affiliation: Southern Baptist

North Greenville University - a private Christian university in Tigerville, South Carolina - has a student population of just under 2,000. The small Christian college is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention, and it's considered one of the most conservative schools in the Southeast.

Academically, the school offers a wide range of degree programs, including a new College of Allied Health.

8. Utah State University

Enrollment: 24,255 undergraduate students

Acceptance rate: 93%

Average tuition: $8,960 in-state; $24,080 out-of-state

Religious affiliation: N/A

Utah State University (USU) is located in Logan, Utah, and it's considered among the most conservative nonreligion-affiliated universities in America. Its location in Utah attracts local Latter-day Saints (LDS) students, which adds to the conservative atmosphere.

The school, founded in 1888, was originally known as the Agricultural College of Utah and was part of the state's land grant program. It later became Utah State University in 1957.

Academically, USU offers degree programs in agriculture, natural resources, family studies, and business, emphasizing traditional values and conservative principles.

9. Biola University

Enrollment: 3,596 undergraduate students

Acceptance rate: 61%

Average tuition: $44,382

Religious affiliation: Nondenominational

Biola University is an evangelical Christian university near Los Angeles in La Mirada, California. The acronym BIOLA stands for the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. All students and faculty at BIOLA are Christian, and the school offers many Bible-centered degree programs.

Biola's mission is to be among the world's most Christ-centered universities and holds the concepts of "truth, transformation, and testimony" dear.

Academically, the school offers various degree programs, including humanities, biochemistry, education, data science, and other liberal studies options.

10. Palm Beach Atlantic University

Enrollment: 2,837 undergraduate students

Acceptance rate: 90%

Average tuition: $34,134

Religious affiliation: Interdenominational

Located in West Palm Beach, Florida, Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) is a private Christian university with a student population of less than 3,000. A Baptist church originally founded PBA, but the school now identifies as interdenominational. 

Students must attend services at the Palm Beach Atlantic Chapel at least 12 times each semester, or 24 times a year, to help keep faith at the center of student life.

Honorable mentions

We've highlighted the top American conservative colleges, but there are many other conservative schools to consider. Additional options for a more conservative college experience include: 

• Oral Roberts University (Oklahoma)
• Grove City College (Pennsylvania)
• Harding University (Arkansas) 
• Hillsdale College (Michigan)
• Pepperdine University (California)
• Texas A&M University (College Station) 
• University of Dallas (Texas) 
• Maranatha Baptist University (Wisconsin)
• Samford University (Alabama) 
• Wheaton College (Illinois)

Find the best colleges with College Rover

Whether you're graduating high school or exploring options for graduate school, College Rover can help you quickly and easily compare different colleges and programs to achieve your higher education goals. If you hope to find conservative colleges or institutions with other focuses, College Rover provides the data and resources needed to make an informed decision.

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College Rover gets the majority of its data directly from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). The DOE publishing schedule "lags" the most current data which some colleges post on their official websites. This may cause there to be a difference in the data you see on College Rover and an individual college website. College Rover's website is updated as the DOE data becomes available and is configured for the College Rover website.